Trolley-wire crossover.



No. 864,888. PATENTED SEPT. 3, 1907. D. H. DOAK.

TROLLEY WIRE GROSSOVER. APPLIOATION FILED 0011.11, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2v.

UNITED STATES OFFICE.

DAVID II. DOAK, OF MORGAN PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGIIOR OF ONE-THIRD TO GHARILLS OLDENBURG, OF GI-IIGAGO, ILLINOIS, ANI) ONE-THIRD TO W. Il. CONRAD, OF BLUE ISLAND, ILLINOIS.

TROLLEY-WIRE CROSSOVER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 3, 1907.

Application filefl October 11, 1905. Serial No. 282,229.

To all whom il may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID I-I. Dean, a citizen oi the United States, residing at Morgan Park, in the county oi Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and usei'ul Improvement in Trolley-Wire Crossovers, (Case No. 1.,) oi which the following is a i'ull, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to cross-overs lor use in connection with overhead trolley systems used on electric railways.

In such systems it frequently occurs that one track must cross another and that the trolley wires also must cross. In such cases it is frequently necessary or desirable to insulate the trolley wires from each other. At the saine time it is desirable that the system be so arranged that a car may pass the crossing in either direction at high speed without interrupting the continuity of the electrical connection between the trolley and the trolley iced wire or system and without throwing the trolley from the trolley wire. My invention provides a cross-over in which these requirements are met.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention, Figure l being a top view of the cross-over, Fig. 2 being a cross sectional view on line 2, 2 of Fig. l, Fig. 3 being a bottom view oi' the device, and Fig. 4 being a cross sectional view taken on line 4, 4 of Fig. 3.

Similar reference characters apply to like parts in the various illustrations.

Reierring first to Fig. 37 which is a bottom View oi the device, it will be noted that there is a block l0 oi insulating material, such, for instance, as vulcanized ber to which the metal parts are attached. A notch is cut into the lower side of this insulating block at ll and through this notch is run the metal trough 12, the downwardly projecting sides I3 and I4 ol this trough serving to guide the trolley in case it slips from the trolley rail l5 extending through the center of the trough and attached thereto by the angle pieces I6 and I7. In the preferred embodiment of my invention, this track l5 is extended beyond the ends o the trough, as best illustrated in Fig. 2, the projecting ends oi the track being provided with clips 18 which may be bent over the trolley wire 19 to hold it in place.

The track l5, as best illustrated in Fig. 4, is preterably set oit from the bottom of the trough l2 a suiiicient distance to permit the trolley wire I9 to extend through the cross-over device without being cut at any point. A trolley passing the crossing in the direction oi the wire 19 rides by the cross-over upon the track l5, which gives the trolley a ree and unobstructed path and guide over the crossing.

The tapered metal troughs 2() and 2l. are attached to the upper side oi the insulating block lO. These troughs extend in the direction ot' the other trolley wire 22. Each oi these tapered troughs is provided with downwardly projecting sides which are marked 23 and 24. As illustrated in the drawings, the trolley wire is passed over the top oi these troughs, being attached at either cnd by suitable clips 25 to short guide tracks 2G and 27 which' are attached to the troughs by means oi the angle pieces 28. The guido tracks 26 terminate a short distance inside the ends oi the troughs to which they are attached. Extending inwardly from the terniinations oi these tracksa sloping runway 29 is provided. lhe'se runways are ot metal and fasten to the metal troughs within which they are placed.

At the inner 'side oi each sloping runway a swinging runway is provided. These swinging runways are illustrated in the drawings at 3() and 3l. They are oi metal, are pivoted at 32 and 33, respectively, and are each provided with side walls 34, as shown. The conformation of these swinging runways is such that when the runway is swung from its normal position into the plane oi the cross-over, the side walls 34 will lie between the sides of the associated runway and the sides of the associated tapering trough. This is perhaps best illustrated in Fig. 3 where the swinging runway 30 is shown swung up into this abnormal position` The operation ol the device is as follows: A trolley passing in the direction o the wire 19 passes between the depending runways 30 and 3l and does not come into contact with either of them. over by `Iollowing the track l5. A trolley passing in the direction of the wire 22 is illustrated at 35. As best illustrated in Fig. 4 this trolley strikes the swinging runway 31 and as it moves in the direction oi the arrow 36 this swinging runway is rotated into the position indicated in dotted lines at 37. It will be noted that this 'runway is arranged to strike the runway 30 before it comes into the position shown in the dotted lines 37, thus causing the runway 30 to swing in the direction of the arrow 38. It will be noted that the swing of the runway 31 is limited by the pivot 32 oi the runway 30 so that when the runway 3l is swung into the position indicated in the dotted lines 37 it will not make electrical contact with the track 15. rl`he clearance is made such as to avoid all danger oi electrical connection or arcing between the track l5 and the swinging runway. Thev result is that the trolley passing in the direction indicated by the arrow 3G is guided by the short track 26 on to the stationary runway 29 which may or may not be provided with a guide rib, as desired. This runway guides the trolley to the swinging runway 3l across which it is guided by means of the side walls 34 to the swinging runway 30, which also is pushed upwardly It passes the cross-A into a position substantially in the plane of the crossover itself and this runway in turn guides the trolley to the track 27 irorn which it is passed to the trolley wire 22. rlhus the trolley passing in the direction of the wire 22 has a continuous metallic path and continuous electrical connection with the source of current supply throughout its passage of the cross-over.

I have found in practice that cars may pass a crossover ot this kind at high speed in either direction, either backward or iorward, without throwing the trolley from the trolley wire and without interrupting the continuity ol the current supply.

Many modifications o'lthe device herein specilically described and illustrated will occur to those skilled in the art and I do not therefore wish to limit myself to the precise construction shown, but claim as my invention:

1. In combination, a block of insulating material, a metal trolley track attached to the lower side of said block and extendingl continuously across the same, two metal troughs attached to the top of said hlock and extending to either side of said block, a stationary runway in each o1' said troughs, and a swinging runway associated with each ol' said stationary runways, said swinging runways being actuated by the passage of a trolley to span the gap occupied hy said continuous trolley track.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a block ot insulatingl material having a trough in its under side, of a metal guideway disposed in said trough, a trolley track mounted in said guideway, a metal `trough extending from either side of said block and being attached to the top of said block, a stationary runway in each of said troughs, and a swinging runway pivoted in A each ot' said troughs and adapted when swung to one side to span the gap occupied by said trolley track and when swung to the other side to dispose itself within the trough from which it is suspended.

3. In a device of the class descibed, the combination with a trolley guideway extending continuously in one directionmof a 'pair of troughs mounted with and insulated from said trolley guideway, a stationary runway in each of said troughs, and a swinging runway pivoted in each of said troughs and adapted when swung in one direction to span the gap occupied by said trolley guideway and when swung to the other side to dispose itself within the trough from which it is suspended.

4. ln a device of the class described, the combination with a trolley guideway extending in one direction, of a pair of metal troughs extending in another' direction mounted with and insulated from said trolley guideway, a swinging runway in each ot said troughs adapted when swung to one side to span the gap occupied by said trolley guideway and to engage the other swinging runway to dispose it in the trough from which it is suspended 1n witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my naine this 4th day of October A. D., 1905.

DAVID H. DOAK.

Witnesses z WM. LILInN'rIIAL, E. S'IAurirna. 

